US 11,955,805 B2
System and method for protecting a wireless power transfer system
Kapil Jha, Bangalore (IN); Pradeep Vijayan, Bangalore (IN); and Yash Veer Singh, Bangalore (IN)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on May 21, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/880,712.
Application 16/880,712 is a continuation of application No. 15/417,246, filed on Jan. 27, 2017, granted, now 10,700,550.
Claims priority of application No. 201641003928 (IN), filed on Feb. 3, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2020/0287418 A1, Sep. 10, 2020
Int. Cl. H02J 50/10 (2016.01); B60L 53/12 (2019.01); H02H 3/02 (2006.01); H02H 3/20 (2006.01); H02H 9/04 (2006.01); H02J 50/80 (2016.01); H02J 50/90 (2016.01)
CPC H02J 50/10 (2016.02) [B60L 53/12 (2019.02); H02J 50/80 (2016.02); H02J 50/90 (2016.02); H02H 3/023 (2013.01); H02H 3/20 (2013.01); H02H 9/041 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for receiving wireless power, comprising:
a secondary coil configured to wirelessly receive an induced power having an AC voltage from a primary coil of a contactless power transfer unit;
a converting unit configured to:
receive the induced power from the secondary coil,
convert the induced power having the AC voltage to an output power having an output DC voltage, and
provide the output power having the output DC voltage to an electric load;
a transceiver configured to communicate a voltage signal to a corresponding transceiver of the contactless power transfer unit, the voltage signal representative of the output DC voltage across the electric load;
a switching unit including at least one switch electrically coupled with the converting unit; and
a controller electrically coupled to the switching unit, the controller configured to both regulate the output DC voltage and protect one or more components of the converting unit from over voltage damage,
wherein to regulate the output DC voltage, the controller controls the at least one switch to regulate the output DC voltage to a voltage reference value when the output DC voltage is above the voltage reference value and below a threshold value, and
wherein to protect the one or more components from over voltage damage, the controller causes the at least one switch to decouple the converting unit and causes the transceiver to transmit a signal to the corresponding transceiver of the contactless power transfer unit indicating the decoupling of the electric load in response to the output DC voltage exceeding the threshold value.